Water sector leaders launch research project to deploy GenAI for water utilities

Today, the American Water Works Association (AWWA), in collaboration with the Water Environment Federation (WEF) The Water Research Foundation (WRF) and Karmous Edwards Consulting (KEC), launched a project on the Role of Generative AI (GenAI) for the Global Water Sector.

The research will establish a foundational understanding of GenAI's role for water utilities, develop and share best practices and case studies for GenAI applications in water, and establish a research roadmap for advancing future applications of this innovative technology in the water sector.

"Generative AI is a game changer that will transform the water community in ways we cannot yet fully imagine," said AWWA CEO David LaFrance. "The amazing members of the project team will lay the foundation to bring unimagined possibilities into our daily strategic operations. AWWA is proud to be part of this ground-breaking exploration."

Working with a diverse group of global water utilities under the technical leadership of Karmous Edwards Consulting, the project will explore the application of GenAI to address critical water sector challenges, such as infrastructure management, water resource and environmental resilience, and public engagement and understanding of the value of water.

"While digital transformation of the water sector has been underway for several years, the emergence of GenAI technologies represents a significant opportunity to further transform the water sector by providing powerful, accessible solutions for utilities of all sizes," said WEF Executive Director Ralph Exton.

"Together, we aim to leverage the cost-effective yet sophisticated capabilities of generative AI to enhance utility operations, bridge the digital divide among utilities of all sizes, and establish a research roadmap that will propel global digital transformation in the water sector," said Gigi Karmous-Edwards, principal of Karmous Edwards Consulting.

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